How Ural motorcycles are made (35 photos). Motorcycle "Ural" history of creation Which plant produced the Ural motorcycle

All models of Soviet and Russian Ural motorcycles belong to the priority class of the domestic motorized industry. The devices have several modifications, and modern copies are actively used by consumers. The manufacturer tries to maintain the optimal combination of quality, power and cross-country ability of the unit. It offers modern two-wheeled machines of a single type and with the possibility of basing a side trailer. Let's look at the characteristics and features of the most popular samples.

History of development and creation

All models of Ural motorcycles, to one degree or another, copy the German brand BMWR. The very first prototype was created by Soviet designers in 1939. There are two main versions about the origin, and it is currently not possible to verify their authenticity.

Presumably the German analogue was transferred to the Soviet Union for review, after which domestic developers released a similar modification. The second option involves the purchase of originals in Sweden, their further transportation to the USSR, and the manufacture of the vehicle in question.

It is reliably known that in 1941 motorcycles were produced under the symbol M-72, which were similar to their German “relatives”, like twins. Serial production of the equipment was approved by Joseph Stalin himself. Production was organized at a Moscow plant, however, due to the martial law, the production of machines was moved to Siberia (the small town of Irbit). It is noteworthy that the production workshops were equipped in a former beer factory due to the lack of available suitable premises.

"Ural M-72"

All models of Ural motorcycles are based on the military model of the M-72 type. The initial delivery from Irbit to the army began already in 1942. The total number was more than 9,700 pieces. The production of the device continued until 1954. During this time, more than three million copies were produced.

The civilian modification of the vehicle in question was released under the symbol M-52. Structural changes allowed the model to move quickly and steadily along the asphalt. The power unit is a four-stroke engine with a volume of five cubic centimeters. The characteristics of the engine allowed the device to accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour with a power of 24 hp. With. It is worth noting that this version went on sale, but each owner had to register the bike with the military commissariat.

Features of the M-61 and M-66 variations

All Ural motorcycle models cannot be considered without two modifications that came out in the sixties of the last century. Changes in the design were minimal, however, an updated pendulum-type suspension mounted on the rear wheel appeared on the M-61/63.

On the 66th modification, a modified engine was used, the power of which was 32 hp. With. Then samples with a 36-horsepower unit were released. Changes in the engine design and other improvements led to the creation of the last Soviet Ural, brand 8.103-3O. Its main difference from its predecessors was the presence of an automobile-type driveshaft and a chain drive. In addition, it is worth noting an improved exhaust system and a cheaper version for the outback and remote villages.

New models of the Ural motorcycle

After the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the population began to buy motorcycles less due to the economic crisis. Those who had the means to purchase preferred foreign brands. However, the plant in Irbit did not stop production, although the products were sold in minimal quantities.

The plant was privatized in 1992 and renamed JSC Uralmoto. The designers of the updated plant were able to cope with the critical situation, and even developed a line of fundamentally new modifications.

For example, the latest models of the Ural motorcycle of the Tourist category began to be equipped with a lever fork and new power plants (four strokes), which had a volume of 750 cubic meters and a power of 45 horses.

The Ural Solo modification is a modernized version for movement without a side trailer. It is equipped with a four-speed transmission, electric start, reverse gear and a reliable disc brake system. The maximum speed of the device is 130 kilometers per hour.

What other models of Ural motorcycles are there?

The Ural Retro motorcycle is considered the most stylish in the line under consideration. It is stylized in an antique style and is successful not only in the domestic market, but also in the UK and the USA. Right-hand drive versions have been developed for ease of adaptation in countries with special traffic regulations.

In 2014, another modernization began, which made it possible to change the characteristics of all production models. The parts have undergone significant processing, as well as strengthening of component elements, ranging from body kits to the power unit and fuel system. Among the innovations, the following innovations can be distinguished:

• the emergence of electronic fuel injection;
• equipping all wheels with disc brakes;
• installation of a hydraulic steering damper;
• use of composite materials in the layout.

The compatibility of Soviet developments and modern technologies made it possible to bring Ural motorcycles (photos of all models are presented in the article) to world-class quality. The success is evidenced by real figures, which indicate that more than 90 percent of the equipment produced by this manufacturer is exported.

Peculiarities

Among the export and trial models of the Ural motorcycle, the following examples can be distinguished:

1. "Ural-T" is a modern analogue of the first modification, which has updated characteristics.
2. “Tourist” is a variation focused on movement on various types of soil, with the ability to connect a side stroller.
3. The military variation of the Ural Gear Up is equipped with a place for installing a machine gun turret, a bumper pipe, an enlarged headlight and has a corresponding color.

In addition, the IMZ line includes biker versions “Cross” and “Wolf”, equipped with chrome parts, as well as all-terrain vehicles “Sportsman”, “Patrol”, “Yamal”.

To conclude the review

The domestic motorcycle “Ural”, the history of which models are discussed above, has become a real legend of the motorcycle industry. Even during the war years (1941-1945) it was intended for the army. However, later the use of this heavy motorcycle moved into the civilian sphere.

The equipment was especially popular in villages and villages because it had good load-carrying capacity and cross-country ability. All modern Ural motorcycle models, along with their characteristic style, have acquired completely new driving parameters and are in demand not only in the post-Soviet republics, but also abroad. Their exhibition can be seen at the Irbit State Motorcycle Museum.

The Ural is the only Russian heavy motorcycle produced at the Irbit motorcycle plant in the Sverdlovsk region in the city of Irbit. In the vast majority of cases it is used with a stroller. Models of the Ural motorcycle are produced, both with and without drive to the sidecar wheel. The stroller wheel drive is switchable, non-differential. The Ural is a further development of the M-72 motorcycle, a copy of the German BMW R71.

The following models were produced in 2013:

With stroller: “Ural-T”, “Tourist”, “Patrol 2WD”, “Gear-UP”, “Retro”

Singles (without stroller): “Retro Solo” and “Solo sT”

These Ural motorcycles are equipped with a four-stroke opposed two-cylinder engine with a volume of 745 cm³ and a power of 40 hp, a 4-speed gearbox with reverse gear and a cardan drive for the rear wheel.

The Ural motorcycle manufacturing plant employs just over a hundred people. For comparison, in the Soviet years there were 10,000 workers.

Strictly speaking, it would be more correct to call it Ural than Ural. Because most of their components are imported. Motorcycle connoisseurs will probably shake their heads a lot when they see the list of brands that supply the component

The Ural motorcycle is in many ways the best and only one in the world. Let's bend our fingers: the only all-season motorcycle that is not afraid of frost.

The only serial Ural motorcycle with a sidecar.

The Ural highway calmly travels at 110 km/h.

Mostly women work in the painting shop. The men work welding, cutting and assembling. One worker can service 10 machines. The work is leisurely, because the norm is 5 motorcycles a day. In Soviet times, there were two workers behind each machine.

The company produces about 1,000 motorcycles per year. 99% are exported. They work on an advance payment basis. Dealers collect orders - after a few weeks, the buyer receives his Ural. In Russia, they are bought by rich people who are overcome by nostalgia.

In Russia, "Ural" can be bought only in three places. In the US there is a dealer in almost every state, some have two. Motorcycles undergo rigorous testing every year in the US and Europe to meet environmental and safety regulations.

By and large, there are only two Ural models. They differ only in appearance. One is retro, the other is more modern. The design is all identical. But there are more than 60 coloring options.

The construction is many years old. And by and large, the modern Ural is just a deeply modernized version of the prototype BMW motorcycle of the 40s.

Even on export versions, “Ural” is written in Russian.

Powder painting is also the most fashionable.

The plant, albeit in this form, was preserved, the brand is alive. And most importantly, it is in demand, dictated not by fashion, but by pragmatics. The Ural is an uncompromising rogue, and can carry a load of up to 150 kilos (according to the passport, in reality it is more). Great choice

From Kaliningrad to Kamchatka there is not a person who has not heard about the Ural motorcycle. From the capital to a remote village, these heavy motorcycles are found everywhere.
Many people still associate the countryside with the smell of hay and the roar of the engine of grandfather’s old Ural. And my grandfather’s motorcycle itself seems so familiar and organic that it’s hard to believe in the true origin of this device. And he comes from Germany in the late 30s of the twentieth century.
At the end of the 30s of the twentieth century, the USSR army faced the need to equip reconnaissance and communications units with motorcycle transport. After analyzing the existing options, it was decided to take the German BMW R71 as a basis.
There are two equal versions of how the BMW R 71 motorcycle came to Soviet engineers in 1939 and was copied by them. According to the first version, during the time of Nazi Germany’s flirtation with the Soviet Union, this model, among many other things, was transferred to the USSR for “familiarization.” According to the second version, the motorcycles were purchased by the NKVD special services in Sweden, then dismantled and transported to the USSR. The reliability of both versions is currently almost impossible to verify.

The only thing that can be said for certain is that test samples of the copied motorcycle were released in 1941 under the name M-72. They looked like their German ancestor, like two twin brothers. Joseph Stalin personally gave the go-ahead for the start of full-scale production. Due to the rapid breakthrough of the Germans to Moscow, the motorcycle plant, which had just begun producing new M-72s, had to be urgently transferred to Siberia. The evacuated plant was located in small Irbit. Due to the lack of free production premises, the enterprise was located in the brewery workshops.

Freedom is not something that was given to you. This is something that cannot be taken away from you.

By the way, at the IMZ in the museum there is the first of the exported BMW R71s, which served as the progenitor of our M-72. And there is nothing wrong with this copying. Since at that time even the legendary Harley-Davidson did not hesitate to copy German BMW motorcycles, and the Japanese did not hesitate to copy Harleys and put their names on these devices and produced them in thousands under their own brands.

The motorcycle plant sent the first batch of products from Irbit to the army in October 1942. The total number of motorcycles delivered to the army is 9799 units. The main use of the M-72 was on the front lines, usually in reconnaissance. For several years after the victory, until 1954, the plant did not stop; to date, the number of motorcycles produced at IMZ has exceeded three million units.
The first civilian model for Irbit motorcycle builders was the M-52. Its components and layout were already adapted for rapid movement on asphalt surfaces. It was powered by a reliable four-stroke 500cc boxer engine. The Ural motorcycle engine produced 24 hp. and accelerated the motorcycle over 100 km/h. It was a unique utilitarian motorcycle that entered the trade. Moreover, each owner had to register his motorcycle with the military registration and enlistment office.

In 1957, the M-61 went into production. It differed from its predecessor in its increased all-terrain capability and was intended for village roads and light off-road use. For this motorcycle, the designers modified the engine, raising it to 28 hp. power and increased the volume to 650 cubic meters. Production continued until 1963.

Until the end of the 1960s, 2 more models of the new Urals were released. Changes in the exterior and layout were minimal, but the designers used advanced technologies on them. The M-63 was equipped with the first advanced pendulum-type rear wheel suspension in the USSR, which then became the industry standard. The engine on the M-66 was significantly modified and increased to 32 hp. its power.

In the 1970s, the designers of the IMZ plant followed the well-established trajectory - first they tested design innovations on the M-67, then increased the engine power, which is how the 36-horsepower version of the M-67-36 was created. To further increase engine power, a change in the engine design was required.
The last true Soviet-designed Ural was the Ural 8.1O3-3O. It used an improved exhaust system. Rural consumers received a cheaper Ural 8.1O3-1O model.
The Ural is a unique motorcycle for the domestic industry. It was radically different from all other products of Soviet motorcycle production. All models of the Ural motorcycle had a driveshaft like on cars, and the rest of the Soviet motorcycles moved using a chain drive. You can see all Soviet motorcycles.

With the collapse of the USSR, the average standard of living fell and people almost stopped buying motorcycles. Those who could afford expensive purchases preferred products from foreign brands. Despite this, IMZ managed to produce and sell its products, albeit in scanty quantities.
In 1992, the plant was privatized and renamed the Uralmoto Joint Stock Company. Despite the difficult economic situation and a sharp drop in sales in the 1990s, the plant managed to survive and even design a number of fundamentally new motorcycles. Unification gave way to specialization and individuality. Now it was impossible to churn out a faceless mass product; now it was necessary to fight for every customer. The model line has expanded dramatically to suit every taste and budget.
Ural Tourist was the first in the country to receive a lever fork. The capabilities inherent in the design made it possible to later install new four-stroke two-cylinder engines with a power of 45 hp on it. with a volume of 750 cubes.
Motorcycle Ural Solo – Ural “Tourist” modified for riding without a sidecar. It is equipped with a four-speed gearbox with the ability to drive backwards, an electric starter, powerful disc brakes, as well as durable side safety bars. The Solo can reach a respectable 130 km/h.

The militarized Ural "Tourist" received the designation Gear-Up. It received two-wheel drive, non-differential transmission, as well as mounts for installing weapons. After entering the armed forces, either a Kalashnikov machine gun or a Konkurs-M anti-tank missile launch system was installed on the motorcycle.
In 2002, the Iraqi army, still under the command of Saddam Hussein, ordered a batch of 2,000 military Urals. 1,500 units were even delivered before the US Army invaded Iraq. After the outbreak of hostilities, the Urals quickly went into the hands of the local population and many ended up in the mobile units of the rebels. The optimal design, safety margin and high-torque capability made it possible to install additional armor. This greatly increased the survivability of equipment and crew in conditions of dense urban battles.
The Ural Wolf stands apart in the model range - in essence, it is the first factory chopper, and produced in Russia. Members of the popular motorcycle club “Night Wolves” took an active part in its development. This is reflected in its name. The Wolf is capable of accelerating up to 150 km/h, helped in this by a fairly powerful 40 horsepower engine with a capacity of 745 cc.

The Ural Retro model is considered the most stylish in the entire Ural model line. The antique-styled Ural is in high demand in the USA and Great Britain; for the latter it is specially manufactured in right-hand drive. This model is the most profitable for the manufacturer.

In 2014, a new modernization milestone began at IMZ. The IMZ design bureau has modernized the entire range of manufactured models. Many design elements have undergone significant improvements, and cooperation with the world's leading manufacturers of components and spare parts has been strengthened. For example, many models will be equipped with electronic fuel injection, disc brakes will be installed on all wheels (even on the sidecar), and a hydraulic steering damper will also be installed. The symbiosis of old Soviet developments and modern technologies was able to bring new Ural motorcycles to the world level.
The 2015 Ural motorcycle is a well-requested product. Currently, only 3% of motorcycles produced at the Irbit Motorcycle Plant are sold in the Russian Federation and neighboring countries. The remaining 97% is sold abroad. The US market has the largest share; Ural has 43 official dealers in the United States.

The Great Patriotic War was going on. On October 20, 1941, a state of siege was introduced in the capital, and on October 21, a resolution of the Evacuation Council under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR No. SE175 was issued on the relocation of the Moscow Motor Plant (MMZ) to the city of Irbit. This date is considered to be the birthday of the Irbit Motorcycle Plant.

Why to Irbit? After all, it would seem much easier to place it near the Trans-Siberian Railway than 200 km away from Sverdlovsk. The answer is simple: by this time, a trailer plant (APZ), which also belonged to the People's Commissariat for Medium Engineering (NKSM), was already operating in Irbit. It was assumed that the temporarily evacuated MMZ would be located in the free areas of the APZ and would use its production base - a forge, a foundry, etc.

But Muscovites who arrived on November 17, 1941 saw that the industrial site of the trailer truck was already occupied by other evacuated enterprises. The city looked at them as temporary cohabitants and was not very cooperative. An example of this is the conflict between the city authorities and the management of MMZ regarding the transfer of a brewery located on the outskirts to the jurisdiction of Muscovites. Built back in the 19th century by Ekaterinburg merchants, the Zlokazov brothers, the brewery operated successfully, although German troops were already stationed near Moscow. How can you live without beer and kvass in harsh times? Only the intervention of G.M. Malenkov, at that time Secretary of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, a member of the State Defense Committee, responsible for equipping the Red Army with new military equipment, resolved the conflict in favor of the motor plant.

Despite incredible difficulties, three and a half months later, on February 25, 1942, the first train with motorcycles left Irbit. The March order of the NKSM No. 172 legalized the construction of a motorcycle plant in Irbit. So, from a temporary worker, the motorcycle plant became a full-fledged Irbitsk resident.

Over the years, the production of motorcycles grew, reaching more than 130 thousand by 1993. The plant became a city-forming enterprise, filling up to 70% of the city budget. Half of the city’s working population (more than 10 thousand) worked at the IMZ. A then modern village of motorcycle builders grew up.

By its 70th anniversary, the plant has not succumbed to the general “Sinicization”, but still produces Urals. There are now more than 3.1 million motorcycles from Irbit in the world. Many devices that make up the history of the IMZ are carefully stored in the Irbit State Motorcycle Museum.

At the end of the 40s, a three-wheeled tractor with a trailer based on the M-72 was created. The total carrying capacity of the “motor train” is 800 kg: 200 were placed on the tractor itself, and 600 in the trailer; maximum speed -50 km/h. Let me note that for many years the main means of intra-factory transport were cargo motorcycles with side trailers. These were real workers, transporting hundreds of thousands of tons. With a given carrying capacity of 250 kg, they sometimes took up to one and a half tons in one flight!

The history of the Irbit Motorcycle Plant began with the legendary M-72 - this machine was produced for the Soviet army until the mid-50s, when World War II had long ended. 750 cc lower valve opposed engine with 22 hp. accelerated a motorcycle with a sidecar (and this combination weighed 385 kg) to a speed of 85 km/h. In the photo is the 50,000th anniversary M-72 produced in 1952. It is somewhat different from the “seventy-second” war years: the front shield is made of rolled stock, a different machine gun mount and other details.

The experience of combat operations during the Great Patriotic War showed that our army should have been equipped with off-road motorcycles with a sidecar wheel drive. Even during the war years, the plant began to work on this topic, and after the war, based on the M-72, it developed an experimental I7G with a switchable non-differential drive. Tests revealed some design flaws, and after modification in 1951, an improved I7D was created, in the transmission of which an additional reduction gearbox was introduced. This model did not go into mass production, since the Kiev Motorcycle Plant was tasked with supplying heavy motorcycles for the Soviet army.

In the mid-50s, IMZ received a new military order - the SD-44 engine. It was created on the basis of a derated to 16 hp. M-72 engine, which received forced air cooling, an enlarged sump, a fuel pump and a special gearbox. The SD-44 was intended for an 85 mm artillery gun, making it self-propelled. Travel speed over rough terrain is up to 15 km/h, on a good road – up to 25 km/h. It was also used - with appropriate gearboxes - on handcars and microcars.

Irbit designers began work on an overhead valve engine during the Great Patriotic War. The first experimental engine, designated M-75, was assembled and tested both at the stand and in the Irbit-Tyumen-Irbit run back in August 1942. After the war, Irbitsk residents successfully used this model in motorsports. At the 1945 USSR Championship, the crew of Igor Okunev and Alexey Antropov set the All-Union record at a distance of 300 km. At the first road circuit race of the USSR Championship in 1947 in Tallinn, Irbitsk residents Alexander Lukoyanov and Nikolai Sachkov on the M-75 became champions, leaving behind more experienced racers in foreign cars. The photo shows an exhibition version of the road M-75, assembled in the late forties. Unlike the sports version, where each valve of the cylinder head had a separate cover, on the presented version there is only one valve cover - a combined one.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated January 10, 1953 No. 74 “On measures for the development of motorsports” obliged the IMZ to modernize the sports M-75. The plant successfully completed the task and already in September 1953, at the “Factory Brand Championship”, presented an improved model M-75M for road racing. The engine with a dry sump with a compression ratio of 9.0:1 and direct-flow (i.e. without an air filter) K-95 carburetors developed a power of 45 hp. At a distance of 1 km, the Irbit crew of Vadim Serebryakov and Boris Volkov showed a result of 157 km/h. Unfortunately, this result was not counted, since it did not take place at the time established by the competition regulations. Cause? The motorcycle was delivered late - the aviation failed. As a result, the IMZ team took second place at the 1953 Factory Brand Championship, losing one point to Kovrov. The 1 km distance had to be stormed on the move and from a standstill on cross-country M-72K.

The M-75 engine of the 1947 model had the factory index I7V. At a given design power of 28 hp. from 30 to 35.7 hp were removed from it. These figures were obtained using 2nd grade gasoline and a compression ratio of 6.2:1; when using better quality gasoline, the power increased.

In the mid-50s, IMZ specialists, together with the Serpukhov TsKEB, developed an overhead valve 500 cc. In the photo archives of the museum there is an image of the “fifty-second” with an experimental stroller. Streamlined shaping surfaces and a vertically located “spare wheel” gave the car the appearance of a racing machine. Unfortunately, this stroller did not reach mass production.

In the mid-50s, the country found a vacant niche for microcars. IMZ responded to the proposal of NAMI, which already had developments in this direction. As a result of joint work, a microcar appeared
IMZ-NAMI-A50 “Belka” with a carriage-type body. The engine based on the M-72 with forced cooling was located at the rear, the steering was in the middle. The four-seater car weighing 640 kg had an independent spring suspension on all wheels, 5.00-10 tires, and accelerated to a speed of 80 km/h. Five prototypes were produced: two open for rural use, two with a universal body and a basic model with a sedan body. Then the designers were refocused on working on all-wheel drive vehicles.

The vehicle, coded “032,” was created by order of the military department. He needed a small waterfowl to evacuate the wounded from the field.
battle: it’s not always possible to pull out fighters with the help of dogs and nurses. The overhead valve engine with forced cooling D-65, created on the basis of the M-61, produced 14 hp. at 3000 rpm and had a torque of 3.97 kg*m at 1700 rpm. This was quite enough for the task at hand. The steering was original. The steering column with a hinged mount and controls located on it moved to the left side, and the driver could control the car while crawling along the ground. In 1958, the plant produced five samples and sent them to the Baltic Military District.

Created in the early 60s, the Uralets seems to have had all-wheel drive, as evidenced by tires with pronounced lugs. Why "similar"? Because, apart from photos of this car and the memories of eyewitnesses, nothing else has survived. The fact is that when the country’s leadership decided to build a plant in Zaporozhye for the production of microcars called “Zaporozhets”, the main staff of the IMZ automobile group left for Ukraine. And, as the factory workers say, he took with him technical documentation of promising developments.

The first person of the state - Nikita Khrushchev - in the late 50s recommended that the leaders of the automobile industry make a car for collective farmers. IMZ already had experience in the automotive industry, and in 1958, factory designers developed and created the Ogonyok all-wheel drive utility vehicle using Moskvich-410 components. The already familiar D-65 engine produced 20 hp. at 4500 rpm and accelerated the car to 70 km/h, consuming 6-7 liters of gasoline per 100 km.

KEEPER OF "URAL"

Alexander Ilyich Bulanov is a native Irbitan. I grew up in an atmosphere of motorcycle life. Even as a child, he and his friends, racing bicycles and scooters with sidecars, imagined themselves to be famous racers. The first motorcycle, inherited in 1969 from his older brother - “Kovrovets-175”, then his own “Voskhod”, then work on the M-63 cargo truck. The first entry in the work book: “Accepted as a motorcycle driver in the transport department. 05/17/1971.” Last: “Appointed to the position of director. Irbit State Motorcycle Museum. 01/06/2006.” Of the forty years of work experience, only two are not related to motorcycles - this is service in the ranks of the SA. 28 years were given to the Irbit Motorcycle Plant, of which 24 were given to the Chief Designer Department (OGK). During this time, he became a master of sports of the USSR, a champion of Russia in motocross on motorcycles with a sidecar, and two of his achievements are listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Since 1998, Bulanov has been not only a regular participant in the famous Irbit bike rallies “Irbit - the motorcycle capital of Russia,” but also one of the organizers. Since the same year it has been published in Moto.

He considers the creation of the only State Motorcycle Museum in Russia to be his main success in life. Based on the factory collection, in 2004 he created a municipal museum, which, thanks to the uniqueness of the technical collection, received state status.

The immediate plans include the construction of a new building: a project has already been prepared, a state examination has been passed and a land plot has been received in the city center

At the end of the 50s, factory designers were actively searching for a replacement for the steel torsion bar of a sidecar and the spark plug suspension for the rear wheel of a motorcycle. The photo shows an M-61 with a rear swingarm on a rubber torsion bar with hydraulic dampers. The torsion bar is a complete rubber cylinder molded together with metal swingarm components and an outer tube consisting of two halves. The pipe halves form two opposite grooves for keys that secure the torsion bar from turning. Bench and road tests showed that the rubber torsion bar of the sidecar was destroyed, and the rear suspension of the motorcycle was reliable and had sufficient strength and durability. But nevertheless, this topic was closed, since another version of the rear pendulum suspension was being prepared - on silent blocks and with spring-hydraulic shock absorbers.

After the 500 cc M-52 and the transitional 650 cc, they launched into mass production. It was from this model that in 1960 the Irbit road motorcycle began to be called the “Ural”. Overhead valve 650 cc engine producing 28 hp. gained automatic ignition timing. There was no need, as on previous models, to control the ignition with a shifter. With a dry weight (with sidecar) of 320 kg, the motorcycle accelerated to 95 km/h. Over five years, more than 140 thousand cars were made (with modifications).

In the early 60s, the world fashion for “ridge-making” of the frame did not bypass the Soviet motorcycle industry. Almost all factories have created similar models. IMZ designers together with TsKEB developed the experimental M-64. The engine with special bosses on the crankcase was attached to the spinal stamped frame with studs with a diameter of 10 mm. The engineers developed a kind of easily removable gas tank: the front part of the solid seat and the top panel of the false tank folded towards the side of the stroller, and the gas tank was removed like a canister. According to the designers, this made refueling easier. The design of the stroller was also original, including the “boat” shape.

In search of new design solutions, the Serpukhov TsKEB proposed to the plant in 1958 a new design for the E-62 main engine. The front cover of the M-61 engine developed into a cast aluminum steering column bracket. Among the factory designers, this proposal raised great doubts about the strength of this design, and they recognized it as unviable.

Produced in the late 60s - early 70s in small batches for road racing. It was equipped with an engine with a displacement of 650 cm3 and a power of up to 55 hp, with battery ignition and a five-speed gearbox. Some cars were equipped with a 750 cc engine with a power of up to 70 hp. Other design features include a low deck, long-link front forks, a fiberglass fairing with panoramic glass, and wheels with 3.75-16 tires. The later model had hydraulic brakes on all three wheels, while the first model had mechanically driven drum brakes on the front and rear wheels.

Following the M-64 with a spinal frame, the factory workers began to develop the next experimental model -. Two options were created. The era of bonneting was already in full swing across the planet, and both options “sinned” with this. The photo shows the first version of the M-65, 1966. Twin headlights, 18-inch wheels with wide-profile tires, a streamlined “boat” and much more made this option original. Particularly unique was the lightweight 650 cc engine with a lower camshaft, producing the same 28 hp. The generator was rotated 180° and was driven by a flywheel. The dry weight of the engine without a generator and carburetors is 33.4 kg, significantly less than the serial M-63.

Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated August 17, 1962 No. 900-387 “On measures to improve the activities of the Soviet police” provided for the development of a special patrol motorcycle. The plant set out to create such a device, both in a single version and with a sidecar, and designated it . In the mid-60s, 27 such machines were produced, including five prototypes. The engine with a displacement of 1040 cm3 produced 50 hp. and accelerated alone to 150 km/h, and a motorcycle with a sidecar to 120 km/h. Such speeds allowed representatives of ORUD-GAI to dominate domestic roads at that time. An example of the opposite is in the 1966 film by Eldar Ryazanov “Beware of the Car.” The noble thief of the “twenty-first” Yuri Detochkin is unsuccessfully chased by an equally noble policeman on a motorcycle with a sidecar. The policeman, unfortunately, did not have an M-100 - during 11 minutes of screen time he sat on an M-61, then on an M-72, then on a . Well, with such vehicles you won’t be able to catch the Volga with its 130 km/h speed. Despite the “childhood illnesses,” the M-100 was popular among Moscow police officers, where new cars were delivered.

The patrol M-100 was several times more expensive than the production motorcycle, and this greatly influenced the decision to create a police version based on the standard one. In 1969, they produced the first batch of such vehicles on the basis, with and without a sidecar, additionally equipped with a siren, warning lights, safety bars, and devices for installing special traffic police devices. Having painted them in two colors - blue and yellow, the factory workers added the letter “P” (patrol) to the index. Next came the M-66P, M-67P, and from 1987 IMZ-8.903 (with sidecar) and IMZ-8.923 (solo, pictured), the last of which rolled off the factory assembly line in 1994.

The Ural-4 motorcycle was created in 1972 according to the plan for the development of new equipment of Glavmotoveloprom in order to maximize the unification of the main components in terms of landing and connecting dimensions with the Kiev Dnepr-2. They also borrowed a gearbox with reverse gear, a switchable drive to the sidecar wheel and a gas tank. A 750 cc overhead valve engine with a power of 45 hp, a brake system with hydraulic drive on the rear wheel and sidecar wheel, electric start, and a streamlined “boat” made the car modern for that time and comfortable. But it never went into production - the designers began developing the M-73

M-73 is one of the best experimental IMZ models. created in the late 70s - early 80s. The village of Podkorytova adjacent to the plant’s territory was demolished for this project. In its place, new buildings were to grow to produce 200 thousand M-73s per year. But the plant did not receive the necessary 4.8 million full Soviet rubles to start production for the next five-year plan (1980-1985). And then came Perestroika. The site of the once prosperous village is now a wasteland.

IMZ-8.103-10 is the most popular model of the Irbit Motor Plant. Produced since 1986. From 1988 to 1993, more than 100 thousand of these machines rolled off the assembly line annually, and in total more than 830 thousand were produced. The main design feature is the presence of a reverse gear, which is so necessary for a heavy motorcycle with a sidecar.

In 1997, the factory workers created a retro-style chopper, with a “dry” frame and a 720 cc engine. The bikers did not recognize this car, and the 16 assembled devices stood in the factory warehouse for a long time.

The first production motorcycles with a switchable sidecar wheel drive - the 650 cc IMZ-8.107 - rolled off the factory assembly line in 1994. The currently produced IMZ-8.1037 Gear-Up model has a 750 cc 45-horsepower engine with electric start and a front disc brake. Maximum speed - 95 km/h. Coloring - various options: “NATO” (khaki), “Desert” (terracotta). "UN" (white).

With the advent of a new generation of motorcyclists-bikers in the mid-90s, the factory workers set themselves the task of creating special motorcycles for them, initially designed as single riders. I'm tired of listening to offensive remarks about “riveting economic councils.” So in 1996, IMZ-8.1234 “Voyage” appeared. Until 2000, 718 copies were produced, initially with a 720 cc engine, then with a 750 cc engine, and occasionally the Voyage “sinned” with a 650 cc engine.

In Irbit, a motorcycle with a sidecar is used year-round. And since there is snow cover in the Urals for at least five months, there has always been the problem of moving on winter roads. Special metal skis were fitted onto wheels - front and sidecar. But what motivates all this? In 1986, another propulsion unit was tested at IMZ. This time, the “one hundred and third” model was equipped with a tracked one, weighing 43 kg. Tests showed that in deep snow the engine slipped and the motorcycle sank. The testers were not satisfied with moving only on hard crust.

The IMZ-8.123 “Solo Classic” model was created in 1998 by modernizing a serial single motorcycle: it was equipped with a two-level seat, a new gas tank, a straight handlebar, front disc brakes and other elements. At first, a 650 cc engine was installed on the motorcycle, then a 750 cc engine.

One of the most stylish Irbit cars. Produced since 1999. The motorcycle is equipped with a 750 cc engine, electric start, and disc brakes on both wheels. Dry weight of the device is 245 kg, maximum speed is 135 km/h.

Source of material: Moto 11. 2011

History of the Ural motorcycle plant

THE ONLY ONE IN RUSSIA
sketch of the history of the Irbit motorcycle plant

Before the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945. the scale of motorcycle production in the USSR was modest (6,800 units were produced in 1940). The production of motorcycle equipment was carried out by non-specialized enterprises. The first plant, initially focused on the production of motorcycles only, was Irbit.

The emergence of the plant was preceded by the creation of a new motorcycle. At the end of the 30s, a meeting was held at the USSR People's Commissariat of Defense on the choice of a model for the Armed Forces. After comparing samples, including foreign ones, it was decided to take the BMW-R71, which was in service with the German army, as a basis. To maintain secrecy, five BMW motorcycles were purchased from Sweden. Two motorcycles were handed over to the Moscow Motorcycle Plant (MMZ), created on the basis of a bicycle plant, one was kept as a sample, the fourth was disassembled into pieces, the last was given to technologists. We examined the chemical composition of each part, studied the depth and nature of surface treatment, the cleanliness and precision of manufacturing. Our specialists decided to do everything the way it was done at BMW, with the exception of the electrical circuit.

After this, on the basis of the Moscow pilot plant "Iskra", a specialized design bureau for heavy mechanical engineering was created, and N.P. Serdyukov was appointed head of it. Nikolai Petrovich was a graduate of the Red Army Air Force Academy. From 1935 to 1940 He completed an internship at BMW aircraft engine factories: he worked his way up from a junior foreman to a foreman in the piston aircraft engine workshop, and at the same time carefully studied the process of creating equipment2.

For the production of motorcycles branded M-72, broad cooperation between enterprises was envisaged. Thus, the ZIS design bureau developed documentation for the engine, for the mass production of which a special workshop was created. The documentation for the gearbox was compiled by engineers from the automobile plant named after. Communist Youth International (current AZLK). The production of sidecars and cardans was entrusted to GAZ, headlights were ordered in Kirzhach, electrical equipment was to be supplied by the ATE-1 plant; In addition to them, several more enterprises were involved in different cities of the USSR3.

In the early spring of 1941, prototypes of the M-72 were shown to the command of the Red Army, and a decision was made to mass produce them. After the start of the Great Patriotic War, work to expand production of the M-72 began to intensify. In August, the Moscow Motorcycle Plant handed over the first production motorcycles to the army; Preparations were underway for their production at the Hammer and Sickle plant in Kharkov and the Prometheus plant in Leningrad. But the offensive of the German troops was rapid: on October 20, 1941, Moscow was declared in a state of siege and the next day, October 21, the Evacuation Council under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR decided to transfer the Moscow Motor Plant and the ZIS and KIM workshops associated with motorcycle production to the Urals, to the city of Irbit4. They also sent specialists from Kharkov, Taganrog and Leningrad to the distant Ural town. The first echelon arrived in Irbit on November 17, 1941. The Urals greeted the arrivals with 30-degree frost. The plant, which from that time became the Irbit Motorcycle Plant (IMZ), was located on the premises of a former brewery. General management at the new location was carried out by the chief engineer, also the first director of the plant, Fedor Mikhailovich Lomanov; The entire technical and technological side of the matter was in charge of the chief designer N.P. Serdyukov. The inheritance from the IMZ brewery included: an unfinished residential building with 16 apartments, a factory club, a narrow-gauge track and workshops: kvass, crackers, cooperage, malt, etc., all mechanization consisted of 2 crawler tractors and 6 machines5, and the distance from The railway station to the site of the future plant was 4 km. On the initiative of the plant’s engineering and technical workers, front-line teams were created to unload the arriving equipment. During the day, workers worked at their workplaces, and during the evening and night shifts they got behind the wheel of a car, became loaders, transported and installed equipment in workshops.

The evacuation of the Moscow plants MMZ, ZIS and KIM continued from the end of October 1941 to mid-1942. Since the shipment of equipment was carried out haphazardly, it arrived incomplete; 60 units of equipment unnecessary for the plant were imported. At the same time, it happened that the necessary equipment was supplied to Sverdlovsk, Ulyanovsk and other cities. A total of 1,100 pieces of equipment6 arrived in Irbit. The former malthouse of the brewery housed the assembly and first mechanical shops; in the fruit drink and kvass workshop - a locomobile; in the brewing department there was a thermal shop, in the salting department there was a foundry. But all the workshops could not be accommodated in the allotted territory, so some of them had to be located at the Irbit Trailer Plant (APZ), located 3 km from the main territory. The APZ club housed a motor shop, a gearbox shop in the camp kitchen and sled shop, and a tool shop in the hardware shop.

In a letter to the People's Commissar of Medium Engineering, Akopov, it was reported: “The work of the plant for 10 months showed that the premises are completely unsuitable for a machine-building plant and, in particular, for a motorcycle plant, and can hardly be used even in wartime conditions.” The lack of natural light and dampness in the premises led to widespread illness among workers (rheumatism, influenza, tuberculosis...), as well as increased injuries. The electricity supply was very poor. Initially, the energy of the M-72 motorcycle engine was used, then the Wolf locomobile was installed, and finally, in 1943, the central electrical system (CES), using a steam turbine, began to provide electricity, first on one boiler, from 1944 on two .

Despite all the difficulties, on February 25, 1942, the first batch of M-72 motorcycles was produced from parts brought from Moscow. (During the war years, a total of 9,799 motorcycles were sent to the front from the plant7.)

After the defeat of the Germans near Moscow, many specialists began to pack their bags, waiting to return to their homes. But in March 1942, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR decided to leave the plant in the Urals, in Irbit. By order of the People's Commissariat of Medium Engineering, the enterprise was established with a motorcycle production program of 15 thousand cars per year8. But the Irbit Motorcycle Plant was unable to reach this figure until the very end of the war.

In the spring of 1942, real construction of the plant began on a vacant lot outside the city. 667 workers and specialists arrived with the evacuated Moscow plant; more than one and a half thousand were recruited on the spot; These were mostly women, old people and children. Boys and girls came from the local vocational school and orphanage and from the age of 13-15 began working at the factory.

From the very beginning, the problem of qualified personnel became acute. In September 1942, a factory training school (FZO) for 150 students was opened on the basis of the plant. The enterprise experienced great difficulties with engineering and technical personnel; Telegrams were constantly sent to Moscow with a request to send the missing specialists, but the situation did not improve. There was only one way out - to open a motorcycle technical school on the basis of the plant, which was done on April 1, 1944; its first director was Ya. L. Berkhman. In 1946, the first graduation from the Irbit Motorcycle Technical School took place. During the war years, ShRM operated on the basis of the plant, and in 1945, vocational school No. 41 was organized with a student population of 350 people. This is how the personnel problem was solved step by step.

During the war years, the Komsomol youth movement developed widely at the IMZ. In August 1943, on the initiative of the motor shop Komsomol organizer M. Alexandrova, the first Komsomol youth brigade was organized in the engine crankcase area, which began to fight for the title of Front. The brigade included teenagers 14-15 years old; M. Alexandrova herself was 21 years old. For the first time at the plant, the team widely used multi-machine maintenance.

In 1943, using voluntary donations collected by Irbitsk residents, a motorized convoy of 106 motorcycles was formed and sent to the front. Soon the IMZ received a telegram of gratitude from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin. In April 1944, good news spread around the plant: for exceeding the March state task, the IMZ was awarded the challenge Red Banner to the 3rd Guards Volnovakha Division. This Red Banner held the plant for almost six months. In 1944, 19 leading workers of the IMZ were awarded orders and medals9. Among them: plant director A.M. Makarov, chief designer N.P. Serdyukov, deputy chief designer A.M. Fedorov, head of the engine shop V.A. Rozhkov and others.

Many IMZ workers had “reservations”. But still, the plant sent 604 workers to the front, many did not return. There is no such front on which motorcycle manufacturers would not fight. In the newspaper of the Third Ukrainian Front, the poet A. Nedogonov reported on battles. At that time, Irbitsk resident S.I. fought on this front. Boyarskikh. It was about him that Nedogonov wrote poems:

And a young Cossack drove up to the well,

“It’s not in vain, young lady, that I galloped to you,”

Smiling, Corporal Boyarskikh said...

After the end of the war, the front-line soldiers returned home, worked at the factory, and an obelisk was erected for those who died in May 1975; it immortalizes the names of 39 motorcycle manufacturers who did not return home.

By August 1946, almost all of IMZ's production was located on the main territory. In 1947, a plan for the general development of the plant was developed: it was necessary to carry out a radical reconstruction and instead of 4-5 thousand, produce 20 thousand motorcycles per year. A big event was the move of the engine workshop to a new building; the workshop was built taking into account the new program. The gearbox shop, automatic and thermal shops moved to the same building. The stroller workshop was transferred to the liberated territories from the city of Gorky, which began its work in April 1947. All the years of the war, and even after it, the tool shop, which huddled in an unsuitable room at the trailer plant, a former hardware shop, had a particularly bad situation at the plant. . In 1949, the IMZ built its own new building, which housed the tool and mechanical repair shops. Only towards the end of the first post-war five-year plan the plant received its production space for all factory workshops.

In 1950, IMZ produced its 30,000th motorcycle, which became a big event in the life of the plant. By that time, it had a young but experienced management team, led by director V.A. Ivanov and chief engineer P.N. Ignatiev. In 1954, IMZ was tasked with switching to the production of 30 thousand motorcycles per year. IMZ veterans played a special role in the implementation of this plan.

In 1953, the supply of Irbit motorcycles for export began. They were mainly exported to developing countries and Eastern European countries: the vast majority of motorcycles were purchased for the needs of the army and police. Exports reached their greatest extent in the 70s and 80s. With the collapse of the socialist camp and the collapse of the USSR, the sales market sharply decreased, and it was necessary to look for new buyers; Since the late 80s, deliveries of Irbit motorcycles to France, Spain, Sweden, Holland, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina and other countries began. Here, "Urals" are bought by ordinary people: lawyers, doctors, engineers, etc., since, according to the German company "Ivan Bike", they are "cheaper than Harley-Davidsons" and allow them to stand out more than the latter. These motorcycles ( "Urals" - T.U.) come across more and more often..." But the expansion of exports is hampered by the low quality of Irbit motorcycles, which causes serious concern for the current management of the plant: although the Kiev Motorcycle Plant, which is in difficult conditions today, does not represent serious competition , the Chinese are actively introducing themselves into the world market; during the years of friendship between the USSR and the PRC, they received all the design and technological documentation for the Irbit motorcycle10.

On March 21, 1953, the plant began publishing its own large-circulation newspaper, “Banner of Victory,” the first editor of which was K.A. Kaygorodov. At first it was published once a week on two pages, but over time it began to be published twice a week and became four pages. To this day, “Victory Banner” covers all the main events in the life of the plant and the city.

Since 1954, the Kiev Motorcycle Plant began supplying motorcycles to the army, so the Irbit plant stopped supplying motorcycles to the military department and began supplying its products to the national economy. Heavy-duty motorcycles went on sale for the first time.

Since 1958, IMZ has become a profitable plant. Its director P.N. Ignatiev wrote about this: “Until this year, we were a planned unprofitable plant, receiving a subsidy of several million rubles from the state every year. Now we have entered such a path of economic development that not only do we not take a single ruble from the state’s pocket to cover losses, but, on the contrary, we add our profits to the total income of our country..."

At this time, a competition for the title “Shock Worker of Communist Labor” began throughout the country. The first to receive it at the IMZ was the machine assembly shop turner V. Volotskikh, and the first communist labor brigade was the Komsomol youth brigade of N. Weber. In 1960, the first at the plant to receive the Order of Lenin was the foundry worker N.A. Dudina.

The design of IMZ’s main product, the motorcycle, developed further and further. In the early 60s, the plant produced, in addition to the M-72, motorcycles M-52 and M-61. In 1955, together with NAMI, the development of an original microcar of a carriage layout called “Belka” began; the engine was borrowed from a motorcycle, but received forced cooling. In 1959, factory designers developed the Ogonyok all-terrain vehicle. Prototypes of minibuses were produced, but they did not go into series. The model drawings were transferred to the Zaporozhye Small Car Plant, and some of the designers from the IMZ, headed by the deputy. Chief designer T.A. Reppikh, who took part in the development of the car, was transferred to the Melitopol Motor Plant. If this had not happened, the face of the Irbit Motor Plant would now be different, and, obviously, its economic situation would not be so difficult. The automotive topic was raised again at IMZ in the 90s, when an agreement was being worked out with the Japanese company Honda on the joint production of a minibus. The samples received from the company were tested on the roads of the Urals, but this project was never implemented.

On October 21, 1966, IMZ turned 25 years old. This event was solemnly celebrated in the large hall of the newly built Sovremennik cultural center. The seven-year period 1959-1966 ended successfully for the plant: 43 of the best IMZ employees were awarded government awards11; mechanic-assembler of the engine shop A.G. Pertseva was awarded the high title of Hero of Socialist Labor, O.P. was awarded the Order of Lenin. Chernov and A.A. Sour cream.

From 1965 to 1971 The motorcycle plant was headed by V.K. Kostevich. Under the direct leadership of Vladislav Kazimirovich, the M-63, patrol, Cross-650 and Strela motorcycles, which were at the level of the best world models, were mastered and put into production. At IMZ, for the first time in the USSR, casting of ribbed cylinders into cork molds was introduced, comprehensive mechanization of casting production was carried out, and a new technology for painting parts using the jet-flow method was mastered. Under the leadership of Kostevich, work was carried out to improve the organization of production, which allowed the plant, one of the first in Glavmotoveloprom, to switch to a new system of economic planning and material incentives. Vladislav Kazimirovich took a direct part in the reconstruction of the plant; with his active assistance, the Sovremennik cultural center, a sports pavilion, and a ski lodge were created, a factory village grew, and new factory buildings were erected. Unfortunately, prematurely, at the age of 49, V.K. Kostevich passed away, but the memory of his deeds is kept in the hearts of the motorcycle factory.

On May 18, 1967, the half-millionth motorcycle rolled off the IMZ assembly line, and on August 22, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution on the reconstruction of the Irbit Motorcycle Plant with the expectation of producing 100 thousand motorcycles per year. On September 15, 1971, the PC of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution to increase the production of consumer goods; The Irbit Motorcycle Plant was supposed to prepare production facilities for the production of 200 thousand motorcycles per year.

The first half of the 70s was the time of reconstruction of the plant. In 1973, a new engine building was put into operation, and in 1974, a forge building. The following year, the first stage of the automated control system began to operate.

On April 10, 1975, IMZ produced its millionth motorcycle. For success in implementing the IX Five-Year Plan and increasing production capacity, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated February 16, 1976, the Irbit Motor Plant was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.

In the second half of the 70s - the first half of the 80s, reconstruction of the plant continued. In 1980, a parts painting line was launched, installed by workers from the Hungarian People's Republic, which speeded up the painting process. In 1981, the new main conveyor of the assembly shop went into operation; The gearbox shop and the wheel shop moved to new buildings, and the plant’s “green” shop grew. Electronic computer technology has firmly entered the management levels of the enterprise, for which a powerful computer center was created.

The beginning of the XI Five-Year Plan (1981 - 1985) was marked by the production of the one and a half millionth motorcycle, which rolled off the assembly line on March 10, 1981. It was a patrol motorcycle with a sidecar, which was awarded the State Quality Mark. The culmination of the five-year plan was the assembly of the two-millionth motorcycle, which rolled off the assembly line on November 22, 1985. It turned out to be a serial road-type motorcycle of the M-67-36 brand. For their success in implementing the XI Five-Year Plan, 35 IMZ employees were awarded orders and medals. Its innovators and inventors played a major role in the successful operation of the plant. Two employees of IMZ, B.M. Zalesov and V.A. Komarov was awarded the title of Honored Inventor and Innovator.

To test motorcycles in road conditions and various climatic zones, runs and expeditions were organized. In 1986, IMZ testers took part in the expedition of the newspaper "Soviet Russia", the route of which ran from the Kara to the Caspian Sea. In 1996, Irbit motorcycles with a sidecar wheel drive and a tricycle were tested in the conditions of Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In 1997, an expedition started from Vyborg to Cape Dezhnev; Part of the route was covered on IMZ motorcycles.

On October 21, 1991, the plant solemnly celebrated its 50th anniversary. Many guests from all over the country arrived at the celebration: IMZ trained more than one thousand specialists who now work at VAZ, KAMAZ, MAZ and UAZ. After Ukraine gained independence, the Irbit Motorcycle Plant became the only enterprise in the country producing heavy-duty motorcycles. In 1992 he was awarded the International Gold Star in Madrid for quality and business initiative. On October 26, 1993, the three-millionth motorcycle rolled off the IMZ assembly line.

In 1992, the plant was corporatized, changing the name IMZ to Uralmoto. In the same year, at an exhibition in Madrid, he was awarded the International Gold Star for quality and business initiative. The need to adapt to the conditions of a market economy forced us to expand the range of products: new models of motorcycles began to be assembled - with a sidecar wheel drive, a tricycle, and "Voyage". However, the economic crisis experienced by the country had a hard impact on the motorcycle plant - a reduction in production volumes began: if in 1992 130,986 motorcycles were assembled, then in 1993 - 121,347, and in 1994 - 68,753, in 1995 - 11,779, in 1996 - 6416, in 1997 - 4731, in 1998 - 2 thousand and in 1999 - only 1 thousand motorcycles.

There are no analogues in the world: the factory tried to work with volumes 130 times less than expected. But it was during these years that new popular models appeared: the Voyage motorcycle and the Taiga all-terrain vehicle. In 1998, the plant was declared bankrupt and bankruptcy proceedings were introduced. Based on the assets, a new enterprise, OJSC IMZ-Ural, was created.

In 1999, the new Ural-Wolf model was launched into mass production, instantly becoming the most popular on the market.

The history of the creation of the Ural motorcycle

History of the Irbit Motorcycle Plant

The history of motorcycles of the IMZ (Ural) brand began in 1940. The BMW R71 was taken as a basis, which was ordered to be carefully copied; For this purpose, five motorcycles were purchased, to maintain secrecy, in Sweden - and reproduced. Three factories at once began manufacturing the motorcycle, which received the M-72 index, in 1941 - in Moscow, Leningrad and Kharkov. The plant assembled the Ural motorcycle for the Russian army, on which the Konkurs-M anti-tank missile system was installed. Seeing this composition, one of the commanders-in-chief exclaimed: “Well, what are the tanks for now?” But the outbreak of war forced the evacuation of the equipment of these factories far to the east, to the Ural city of Irbit, where the production of these motorcycles was mastered in a short time. But still, the needs of the Red Army for motor vehicles during the Great Patriotic War were met mainly through lend-lease supplies from the USA and Great Britain. In particular, the Harley-Davidson WLA motorcycle was supplied to the USA until 1945.
One of the new products of the Irbit plant is the Ural-Wolf model. The history of the “URAL-WOLK” motorcycle began in 1998, when the “Night Wolves” motorcycle club sent a proposal to the Irbit Motorcycle Plant “Ural” OJSC (Irbit, Sverdlovsk region of Russia) to jointly create a new model of the modern “Ural” motorcycle. . The best engineers of the Wolf Engineering motorcycle studio, which is part of the Night Wolves motorcycle club, and IMZ designers developed a new motorcycle design, paying special attention to the technical characteristics and quality of the model. On May 31, 1999, the “WOLF” brand was patented and serial production of this motorcycle was launched at the Irbit Motor Plant.
Since then, more than 3 million heavy motorcycles with sidecars equipped with a boxer four-stroke engine have been produced. "Ural" is the only brand of Russian motorcycles that has gained fame abroad. The modern range of motorcycles consists of single and sidecar models, equipped with two-cylinder opposed engines with a displacement of 650 and 750 cm3.
The show presentation of the Ural-Wolf motorcycle, accompanied by a display of original models of leather clothing, took place at the Night Wolves club, with the participation of the Koleso company. In the summer of 1997, at Bike Show III, a prototype of the new Ural with the predatory name “Cobra” was presented to the general public. The engine part apparently remained again without any major changes. A 720 cc version of the Ural engine is used. The long exhaust pipe is from the old sidecar version. The driver's footrests are clearly positioned forward and upward. The riding position on this bike cannot be called sporty, which once again speaks of the biker style of the device.

HISTORY M - 72 USSR

In the USSR, the decision to produce a special army motorcycle was made at the beginning of 1940.

The BMW R71 was chosen as a model for complete copying, which by this time had proven itself well in the Wehrmacht. It is not customary to give wide publicity to such work, so five motorcycles for testing and removal of cripples were anonymously purchased in Sweden.
Since the spring of 1941, the production of a motorcycle under the M-72 brand was launched at the Moscow Motorcycle Plant under the leadership of N.P. Serdyukov. Through cooperation, ZIS supplied engines, KIM (now AZLK) - gearboxes, GAZ - driveshaft and sidecar. Later it was planned to expand the production of motorcycles in Kharkov and Leningrad, but the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War changed all plans.
On February 25, 1942, M-72 motorcycles began to be produced in Irbit. 8.5 thousand of them were produced.

Specifications:
M – 72 1941 – 1945 USSR.
Engine: 2 – cylinder, opposed.
Working volume: 746 cm3.
Power: 22 hp at 3000 rpm.
Weight: 380 kg.
Speed: 85 km/h.

Ural Retro